Fender lug



E. w. MITCHEL 2,145,944

FENDER LUG Filed Oct. 20, 1937 INVENTOR. lvko M /Y/Tc/z.

TTORNEY.

' `vrPatented Feb. r7, 1.9379Y lParrain* OFFICE Y `FENmmLUd Y Y Edward w. Mitchel, Detroit, Mich. Application October 20, 1937, Serial No. 170,072

' s claims.

- Myl invention relates to a new anduseful imf p'rovement in a fender lug adapted for mounting on a vehicle body in such la. position that a. nut

`will`be xedly mounted at the proper location for cooperating with a bolt used to secure a fender on a'vehicle body.` f y 1 `It is an object of the present invention to pro- 'vide a fender lug rof this type which will be simple inlstructure, economical of manufacture, durable, easily 'andfquickly installed `and highly efficient I 'jfAnother object'ofV the inventionis the'provision yhaving, an opening vformed therethrough at sub?Y of'afnenderlug whereby leakage of dust, mud ork wateraround the lug fasteningsvv or around the bolt Vvvilllbev prevented.

v"Another object of the invention is the provision of ay fenderA lug comprising ran elongatedbody stantially ythe medial line thereof and provided opening.

With'securing projectionsy at opposite sidesof the Another object of the invention is the provision of a fender lug having at opposite sides of a central opening, projections extending outwardly and formed into arcuate shape frompar-k allel positions. f`

Y uOther objects will appear hereinafter. Y

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of .parts hereinafter described and claimed. y y

" Theinvention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part fof this specic'ation, and in which, li Fig l is a perspective view of the invention.

2is atop plan` view of jthe invention.

f Fig. 3 is a longitudinaLvertical, central, sectionallview of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the invention applied in position. n

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the invention showing it applied.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of la blank from which lthe invention is formed.

,V l'lig.v 7 is a fragmentary, perspective Vview of ay 'panel' in which the invention is used.

VAs shown in Fig. 6, the invention is cut from a y strip of' elongated rmetal having at opposite sides the parallel extending ribs I2 and I3 terminating at their inner lower ends with the raised portion I4 on thebody. This strip is cut on the dotted s lines I5 to the proper width and the strip I6 1 cut 'therefrom maybe termed the lug body.

' Formed centrally through this body at substanwhich is threaded for 'the reception*y of a bolt.

By a'forming operation, the parallel extending ribs I2 and I3 are pressed into semi-circular form to provide the securing projections I2' and I3', theraised portion I4 permitting the necessary flowing of the metal from which the ribs I2 and I3 are formed to prevent shearing. fWith this type of construction the strip of metal from which the blanks are struck need not bel formed by a cold rolling or a cold drawing process as thefsrtrip 'may be satisfactorily produced in a hot rolling operation.V The accuracy obtained in a cold drawing process is not required in the strip from which the blanks are struck because such inaccuracies as may'result ironia hot rolling operation are compensated for i by the forming operation whereby the parallel extending ribs I2 and I3 are formed into the arcuate projections I2' and I3. The formation dies which serve to press the straight ribs into arcuate formation accurately press these parts intoithe predetermined spacings and shape maintaining very close limits.` Thus, such inaccuracies as may result from the hot rolling operation and such variations in spacing and' location or thickness which may be present in the parallel extending ribs prior .to their'arcuate formation /are'all eliminated and the formation operation `equal spacing may not be retained in all cases,

but for a practical construction, the arcs l2 and f I3 would not be struck from a common center.

The panel with which these lugs are used consists lof the body I 8 having an opening I9 through which a bolt is projected. At opposite sides of the opening I9 are formed the openings 20 and 2|. Through these openings 20 and 2I the projections I2 and I3 are extended.

It will be noted, that the body I6 projects on allv sides beyond the arcuate projections I2 and I3 so that when the projections I2 and I3 are extended through the openings 20 and 2 I, there is a part of the body I6 which will extend beyond these openings in all directions so that the face of the body I6 may be'brought into engagement with the face oi the body I8. After the extending of the projections I2 and I3" through the openings 20 and 2|, these projections are doubled over and upset or clinched as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. When upset, as illustrated, the doubled-over or clinched portion will not [break or crack. As previously mentioned, the shearing of the projections I2 and I3 at the lower edge of their outer surface fromV the body I6 is prevented by the presence of the elevated body I4 which provides the necessary flowing in the formation operation. By forming the parallel ribs I2 and I3 into the arcuate formation to provide the projections I 2 and I3' a structure is present in which the grain of the metal is reenforced and strengthened so that the cracking or splitting of the projections when clinched is prevented.

Thus, a durable, strong structure is provided which will not loosen or weaken after having been upset so that a rigid, permanent structure is obtained.

The projections when extended through the openings 26 and 2l, serve to center the opening I'I with the opening I9 and a clinching of these pro-- jections over the panel body I8 serves tol press the face of the body I6 tightly against the face of the panel I8 in sealing relation so that leakage between the panel I8 and the body I6 is prevented. Thus, the passage of dirt, water and the other foreign material through the openings 2U and 2|, is prevented. Similarly, the body I8 around the opening I9 is sealed against the face of the body I6. With this construction the use of a gasket between the bodies I6 and I8 is avoided.

It will be noted that the holes I9, 2D and 2| which are formed in the plate I8, are illustrated as being circular and the projections I2' and I3 do not serve as closures for these openings. This is not necessary as the plate I6 serves as a sealing member. Were prongs used which extend from the ends of the body, it would be necessary that the openings in the plate I8 be formed by a punching operation. With the `type of structure illustrated and the formation of openings circular as described, these openings may be formed in therplate I8 by a drilling operation which would be much more economical in manufacture than a punching processgas all of theset's of holes to be lformed in the plate I8 might be formed at the same time by the use of a gang drill.

It is obvious that the body I6 serves as a nut for the bolt which is threaded into the opening I'Iso that there is thus provided an elongated nut having the fastening projections I2 and I3 positioned between the opening I1 and the opposite ends of the body I6. It is alsol believed obvious that if desired the members I2 and I3 may be defined bow-shaped instead of arcuate and in the claims attached hereto the term arcuate shall be concluded to be the equivalent of the term bowshaped or V-shaped whenever the structure defined will permit of such an interpretation.

In this way I have provided a fender lug which may be economically manufactured and which will serve to seal tightly against the body with which used while at the same time the securing means, in the nature of the projections I2 and I3are carried as a part of the body I6 through which the threaded opening I'I is formed.

While I have illustrated and described the pre-V ferred form of construction I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the appended clams.

What' I claim as new is:

1. A nutV of the class described, comprising: an elongated body having a threaded opening formed therethrough substantially centrally thereof; a pair of spaced arcuate projecting members positioned at opposite sides of said opening and spaced inwardly from the edges of said body to provide a portion of said body projecting outwardly from the location of said projections, said projections being arcuate and struck on a center positioned outside the center of said opening.

2. A nut of the class described, comprising: acomparatively elongated body having aA threaded opening formed therethrough substantially oentrally thereof; a pair of arcuate securing members projecting outwardly from one face of said body at opposite sides of said opening, said securing members being faced toward each other and struck on a circle having a center outside the center of said opening and formed from parallel extending ribs projecting transversely Vof said body.

3. In combination a supporting body having a central opening positioned between a pair of side openings; an' elongated nut-forming body having a threaded opening formed Atherethrough substantially centrally thereof; low-shaped securing members projecting outwardly fromi one face of said nut forming body on opposite -sides of said threaded opening and faced towardeach other, said securing members being'projectible through said side openings and adapted for clinching over one face of said supporting body for binding the opposite face of said supporting body against one face of said nut-forming'body in sealing relation, said nut-forming body projecting fbeyond Ythe area of said openings, -thethreaded' openingrin said nut-forming body registeringwith the central opening in said supporting body.

EDWARD W. MITCHEL. 

